Drink dispensing device and container for drink provided with positioning means

ABSTRACT

The application relates to an assembly comprising a container for drink provided at a top with a beverage outlet situated on a centre line, which outlet is connectable to a flexible dispensing line having an outlet end, and with a pressure inlet situated at a distance from the centre line for receiving a pressure medium into the container, wherein the assembly comprises a bridge formed as an integral unit, the bridge being attachable to the container at the top, the bridge having a gas channel with on one side a connector for attaching to a pressure medium source and on the other side to the pressure inlet of the container, and having an opening for guiding an operating element that is attached to an inflow end of the dispensing line, in the direction of the outlet for opening of the outlet.

The invention relates to an assembly of a drink dispensing device havinga chill chamber with a chamber wall and, at a top, an opening foraccommodating a container containing a drink, as well as a containerthat is provided at a top section with a dispensing element fordispensing the drink and with a peripheral wall, as well as a drinkdispensing device and container for use in such a device.

A container of this type is disclosed in International PatentApplication no. WO 99/11563. In the case of the known container theflexible line is accommodated inside a cap that is fitted over an upperend face of the container. The container can have a plastic outer jacketwith an internal flexible bag, containing a carbonated drink, such asbeer. The container is placed in a closable chill chamber of a drinkdispensing device and connected to a pressure line which feeds apressure medium into the space between the flexible bag and me outerjacket. The flexible dispensing line is fed through a dispensing tap atthe top of the chill chamber, which dispensing tap is in clampingengagement on the tube in order to close this off and releases thedispensing line by operation of a tap handle. On placing the containerin the chill chamber a break seal at the top of the cap can be removedand the dispensing line can be removed from the cap in order to connectthe outlet to the dispensing tap.

One disadvantage of the known container is that access to the dispensertube via the opening in the cap is relatively difficult for the user.Furthermore, positioning of the end of the tube in the dispensing tap ofthe dispensing device is relatively difficult.

One aim of the invention is to provide a container with which theflexible dispensing line can be hygienically fixed on the containerduring storage and transport of the container and with which the linecan easily be placed in the use position by a user and can be connectedto a dispensing tap of a dispensing device known per se. A further aimof the invention is to provide a container with which the flexibledispensing line can be reliably housed in the container again after use.

A further aim is to provide a container that can easily be placed withthe correct orientation in a dispensing device and which can be coupledin a simple manner to the dispensing device, such as to the dispensingtap and/or to the pressure medium feed.

To this end a container according to the invention is characterised inthat the container is provided with positioning means which extendtransversely to the peripheral wall, the chamber wall of the chillchamber being provided with complementary positioning means which, whenthe container is placed in the chill chamber, engage on the positioningmeans of the container in such a way that the container is brought intoa defined position with respect to the chill chamber.

As a result of the use of the positioning means on the container andIE<he chill chamber, the container can be brought into a definedposition with respect to the chill chamber. In particular thepositioning of the container with respect to the dispensing tap of thedrink dispensing device and with respect to a pressure medium connectorthat is not located on a centre line of the container is facilitated bythis means. The chill chamber of the dispensing device can be providedwith at least two diametrically located slot-shaped, stepped wallsections, the width of which can decrease towards the base of the chillchamber. The depth of the stepped wall sections, or the distancetherefrom to the centre line of the chill chamber, can also taper, sothat the container can be introduced into the chill chamber relativelyeasily through the open top face of the essentially cylindricaldispensing device by introducing the projections into the relativelywide slots. On lowering the container into the chill chamber the wallsof the constricting slots engage on the projections, so that thecontainer acquires its correct orientation.

The projections of the container are preferably made of a relativelyrigid material so that an accurately defined distance is obtainedbetween the supporting surfaces, by means of which the projections bearon the slot-shaped stepped wall sections of the container, and the topof the container, where the pressure medium connector and an operatingelement for a shut-off valve of the container are located, whichconnector and operating element are brought into engagement with thepressure medium line and a pressure element in the lid of the container.With this accurately defined distance, which guarantees that an airtightand fluid-tight connection of the pressure medium line and the drinkdispensing line is obtained hi the lid when a lid of the container isclosed, it is possible to use containers of different volumes, whichextend to a greater or lesser extent in the vertical direction towardsthe base of the chill chamber.

In one embodiment the operating element for the shut-off valve of thecontainer and the connector for connecting to the pressure medium feedin the lid are located on a line that runs essentially in a longitudinaldirection of the positioning means of the container, which positioningmeans engage on the positioning means of the chill chamber by means of acavity that is curved in the longitudinal direction of the positioningmeans of the container and that engages on a complementary curvedprojection of the slots in the chill chamber wall. Fine adjustment ofthe position of the operating element and the connector with respect tothe pressure medium feed and the extraction line in the lid of thecontainer in a direction along the line on which the connector and theoperating element of the container are located takes place by thismeans. This ensures mat a tight-fitting connection of the couplingelement and the lid of the dispensing device to the container isobtained.

A few embodiments of a container, as well as of an assembly of acontainer and drink dispensing device according to the invention will beexplained in more detail with reference to the appended drawing. In thedrawing:

FIGS. 1 a, 1 b and 1 c, 1 d show a cross-section and, respectively, alongitudinal section of an assembly of a container and a dispensingdevice, according to the present invention, in a front view and a sideview, respectively,

FIG. 2 shows a container according to FIG. 1 with the protective capremoved and with the dispensing line in the extended use position, itbeing possible for the outlet end to be fitted in a dispensing tap ofthe dispensing device,

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the container according to FIG. 2,with protective cap removed, the dispensing line being placed in theaccommodating chamber,

FIG. 4 shows a perspective bottom view of a central bridge, with theaccommodating chamber for the dispensing line,

FIG. 5 shows a container according to FIG. 3 with the protective capfitted, in the storage and transport position,

FIG. 6 shows a side view of a container according to the inventionprovided with positioning ears,

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a chamber with the flexibledispensing line constructed as an integral unit, and

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a top of a container in which theintegral bridge unit according to FIG. 7 can be placed.

FIGS. 1 a-1 d show a container 1 that has been placed in a drinkdispensing device 11. The container 1 is provided with a plastic outerjacket and at a top 2 has a cap 3 attached to the outer jacket. Thecontainer 1 has an outlet 4, which can clearly be seen in FIG. 1 d. Aflexible dispensing line 5 is connected to the outlet 4, whichdispensing line is provided at its outlet end 6 with a shut-off valve 7and with an outlet section 8, made of relatively rigid plastic, at rightangles. The shut-off valve 7 is described in more detail in NetherlandsPatent Application no. 1 015 368, which was filed on 31 May 2000 in thename of the Applicant, the contents of which are incorporated herein byreference, and engages on a dispensing tap 19 of the dispensing device11.

The dispensing device 11 is provided with a chill chamber 12 foraccommodating the container 1. The container 1 has two ears 13,13′ atits top, which ears protrude laterally with respect to the peripheralwall 14 of the container. The ears 13,13′ bear on horizontal supportingsurfaces 15,15′ of stepped wall sections 16,16′ in the chill chamberwall 17. In this way the container 1 is correctly positioned withrespect to the chill chamber, both in respect of height and in respectof angular position, so that the dispensing line 5 and the shut-offvalve 7 can be connected to the dispensing tap 19 of the dispensingdevice 11. Furthermore, the ears 13,13′ assist when positioning an airinlet 20 of the container 1 with respect to a coupling element 21,arranged in the lid 25, of a pressure line 22, which pressure line isconnected to a compressor 23. As can be seen from FIG. 1 b, the couplingelement 21 is located some distance from the centre line 24, next to thecentral outlet 4.

When placing the container 1 in the chill chamber 12 the lid 25 of thedispensing device 11 is open and the container 1 is suspended in thechill chamber 12 by bringing the ears 13, 13′ to bear on the horizontalsupporting surfaces 15, 15′. As a result of this suspension in thedispensing device, containers of different heights can be used, thedistance between the bottom 9′ of the container and a base 9 of thechill chamber 12 being able to vary, for a constant and accuratelydefined position of the air inlet 20 and the outlet 4.

The distance between opposing side walls 26, 26′ and 27, 27′ of thestepped wall sections. 16, 16′ can decrease towards the base of thechill chamber 12 whilst the rear walls 28, 31 of the wall sections 16,16′ can taper towards the centre line 24. As a result the container 1can easily be placed through the top opening in the chill chamber 12with the ears 13, 13′ in the broad positioning slots and the containeritself seeks its correct orientation when it is lowered into the chillchamber.

The horizontal supporting surfaces 15, 15′ are provided with chamferedridges 18, 18′ which engage in cavities 29,29′ in the ears 13,13′ of thecontainer 1. The curvature of the ridges 18, 18′ is oriented in linewith line L, see FIG. 1, on which the coupling element 21 for the airconnector and the operating element for the spring-loaded shut-off valveof the outlet 4 are located, so that the air connector in the lid andthe operating element for the valve are aligned correctly with respectto the container.

After closing the lid 25, the compressor 23 is connected to the airinlet 20 and a spring-loaded shut-off valve of the outlet 4 is presseddown by a lid component, so that the outlet is opened and drink can bedispensed from the container 1 under pressure via the dispensing tap 19by opening and closing the shut-off valve 7 by means of a handle 10.

FIG. 2 shows the container 1 with the dispensing line 5 in the extendedposition, in which the shut-off valve 7 can be connected to thedispensing tap 19. With this arrangement a plate 30 forms a gripcomponent that can be grasped by the user and that can be placed in thedispensing tap 19 in order to position the outlet end 6 accurately inthe dispensing tap 19, as is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 d. Thedispensing line emerges through an extraction opening 31 from chamber32, which is accommodated in central bridge 33. The central bridge 33 islocated within a peripheral wall 36 of the container that has two handgrips 59, 60, located some distance away from the bridge 33, and twowall sections 40,40′ which border the ends of the bridge 33. Thedispensing line 5 is connected in the chamber 32 to the outlet 4 of thecontainer 1. The extraction opening 31 is accessible via a cut-out 35 inthe wall section 40 of the peripheral wall 36 of the cap 3 of thecontainer. A clamping element 39, in which the outlet end 6 can beaccommodated, is positioned close to the extraction opening 31, as shownin FIG. 3.

In the storage and transport position that is shown in FIG. 3, thedispensing line 5 is housed in the chamber 32, whilst the plate 30 islocated in the cut-out 35 in the peripheral wall 36. The outlet section8 at right angles is positioned in a slot 37. As a result the outlet end6 is in a position that to a large extent corresponds to the position inwhich the outlet end 6 has to be placed in the dispensing tap 19, sothat it is clear to a user how the dispensing line 5 and the outlet end6 have to be brought into a use position that is shown in FIG. 1 d andin FIG. 2.

In the storage and transport position as shown in FIG. 3, the outlet end6 of the dispensing line 5 is located in a second compartment 45 that isdelimited by the surface of the cut-out 35 in the peripheral wall 36 ofthe cap 3 and by a top face 46 of the central bridge 33. In the secondcompartment 45 the air connector 20 extends through a top wall 47 of thechamber 32 so that this can be connected to the coupling element 21 inthe lid 25 of the dispensing device. Via an opening 48 in the top wall47 the lid 25 is able on closing to engage, for example via the couplingelement 21, on an operating element 51 (see FIG. 4) for opening theoutlet 4. The second compartment 45 can be closed off by a removableprotective cap or lid 52, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective bottom view of the central bridge 33, sidewalls 41, 42 and the top wall 47 of which delimit the chamber 32. A tubesection 53 at right angles is fitted on the end of the dispensing line 5and, when the operating element 51 is pressed down, engages on aspring-loaded shut-off valve for the outlet 4. To this end, when the lidis closed, part of the lid 25 of the dispensing device extends throughthe top wall 47 of the chamber 32.

As shown in FIG. 5 the second compartment 45 is covered by the lid 52,the lid having two sections 54,55 at right angles which are essentiallycoincident with the plane of the peripheral wall 36 and with a top face46 of the central bridge 33.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the container 1, provided with the two ears13, 13′, projecting laterally beyond the peripheral wall 14, and withtwo hand grips 59, 60, located on either side of central bridge 33,which can be used by a user to lift the container 1 and place it in thedispensing device.

FIG. 7 shows a central bridge 33 that is constructed as an integral unitwith the flexible dispensing line 5, the operating element 51 and airconnector 48. Corresponding components in FIG. 7 are provided with thesame reference numerals as in FIGS. 2-6. The flexible dispensing line 5extends from the operating element 51 towards the front short side 66 ofthe bridge 33. The dispensing line 5 then runs via a first bend 70 alonga long side 67 of the bridge 33 and extends via a second bend 71 aroundthe air connector 48, which is in line with the operating element 51.The dispensing line 5 runs further from the rear short side 65 of thebridge 33 to the front short side 66 via the second long side 68 of thebridge 33. The outlet end 6 is held in place by the clamping element 39close to the open short side 66 of the chamber 32. The chamber 32 isclosed off by the L-shaped lid 52. The arrangement shown can beefficiently assembled by machine, permanent deformation in thedispensing line 5 as a result of kinking or folding double beingprevented. After removal of the lid 52, the gripper component 30 is in aposition that is easily accessible for the user and that corresponds tothe position in which the outlet end 6 has to be fitted in thedispensing device.

Finally, FIG. 8 shows the top 2 of a container according to theinvention, prior to fitting the central bridge 33 that is shown in FIG.7. The bridge 33 according to FIG. 7, that is constructed as an integralunit, can be clicked into the mid section of the top 2 of the containerso that the opening 31 in the chamber is coincident with the cut-out 35in the wall section 40 and is closed off by the short section 54 of thelid 52.

The connector or opening 48 and the operating element 51 are placed inthe correct position with respect to the lid 25 of the dispensing device11, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the central bridge 33, bymeans of the cavities 29,29′ in the ears 13,13′.

1. Assembly comprising a container (1) for drink provided at a top (2)with a beverage outlet (4) situated on a centre line (24), which outlet(4) is connectable to a flexible dispensing line (5) having an outletend (6), and with a pressure inlet situated at a distance from thecentre line (24) for receiving a pressure medium into the container,characterised in that the assembly comprises a bridge (33) formed as anintegral unit, the bridge being attachable to the container at the top(2), the bridge having a gas channel with on one side a connector (48)for attaching to a pressure medium source and on the other side to thepressure inlet of the container, and having an opening for guiding anoperating element (51) that is attached to an inflow end of thedispensing line (5), in the direction of the outlet (4) for opening ofthe outlet (4).
 2. Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the outflowend (6) of the flexible dispensing line (5) is connectable to adispensing tap (19) for opening and closing of the dispensing line. 3.Assembly according to claim 2, wherein the dispensing line (5) comprisesat its outflow end a shut-off valve (7).
 4. Assembly according to claim1, wherein the operating element is part of a tube section (53) at rightangles to the dispensing line, which tube section (53) is displaceablerelative to the opening in the bridge (33) by a user for opening of theaperture (4) prior to dispensing beverage from the container. 5.Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the operating element (51) can bedisplaced for opening of the outlet (4) after the outflow end (6) of thedispensing line (5) has been placed in the tapping head and the tappinghead has been closed.
 6. Container for use in an assembly according toclaim 1, comprising attachment means onto which the bridge (33) can beclicked.
 7. (canceled)